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Lieutenant Colonel the Honourable Sir Jonathan F. Lawford
Sir Johnathan Francis Anthony O' Reilly I, MBE, is the current First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, subsequently giving him field command of the Royal Marines. Originally assigned his post in late September of 1744, he formed the most effective fighting force in Europe under King George Augustus II of England. The Royal Marines are currently most commonly known for their service in the First Anglo-Spanish War, the Third East India Trading Company Civil War, and the Second Anglo-Spanish War, in that order. "My plans? Why, to beat the Spanish, of course!" ''- O' Reilly when asked by his flag captain what his plans were for an oncoming battle. Background= Born on November 11, 1730, to Edward and Elizabeth O' Reilly, he quickly grew adept to country life. Living in a large estate outside Dublin, Ireland, he was taught by his parents many skills such as riding, hunting, sewing, craftsmanship, violin, and most reluctantly, politics. At age eight, he attended a school in Blessington, southwest of Dublin. When O' Reilly was nearly finished with his second year of schooling, his father came ill with typhoid fever. After months of treatment, when it was apparent that he would recover from his ailment, he died on March 23, 1740. After weeks of mourning, a large conflict began to make its way into the gazettes, called the Anglo-Spanish War. Ignited by Spanish rebels under Phillipe V (the own son of the rightful King) who engaged loyalist troops in Madrid, and then killed King Phillipe IV, the rightful King of Spain, England plunged into a military crisis. James, O' Reilly's elder brother, enlisted in the Royal Navy shortly afterwards, and O' Reilly, eager to follow his brother, enlisted immediately thereafter. Inducing the rank of Senior Midshipman of His Most Brittanic Majesty's Ship, the H.M.S. ''Indefatigable, he quickly earned the Captain's respect and trust, and was promoted to Acting Lieutenant within three months of service. After an inland operation to destroy Spanish storehouses on the southern coast of the Bay of Cadiz (losing his friend in the process), O' Reilly was transferred to a reserve regiment of the Royal Marines, withholding the same rank given to him in the Navy. After nine days worth of training at Fort Sinclair, O' Reilly was assigned to Company A, 185th Line Infantry Regiment. During the long lived days of training, a man named Jeremiah Garland made his appearance as a Sergeant within the same divastment of O' Reilly's company. After news reached London of a large defeat of the British at San Sebastian, the 185th was effective immediately transferred to active service on the French-Spanish border. Fighting through Spanish controlled Bayonne in southern France, and then marching for four days to San Sebastian, the 185th's exploits began to reach the rest of the Marines. Merging with the main body north of San Sebastian, the regiment was met with Spanish guerilla fighters acting as pickets. Through a quick skirmish, they were beaten off, and the seige of San Sebastian begun. With a sapper regiment tirelessly digging up trecnhes every hour of every day, slowly creeping forward, and seige guns placed in rear batteries, the infantry were able to begin the assault. After long lasting salvos of British guns, and the returned fire of their counterparts, the 185th, moving first, appeared out of the trenches and began charging towards a breach in the wall. Close behind followed the rest of the Royal Marines, bayonets flashing. Following just behind the colonel, O' Reilly watched as his company captain and officers were struck down upon the breach, giving O' Reilly acting command of Company A. Rallying the company with his sword, he leaped upon the breach and surged forward. The Spanish soldiers, unnerved at the overwhelming British forces, retreated and evacuated the city. Promoted to full Lieutenant when a replacement Captain arrived from England, O' Reilly was commended by the Colonel of the 185th for his outstanding bravery and courage in not only leading the charge, but assuming command of the company in the heat of battle. Packing his belongings, he and the rest of the Royal Marines began the long and tiring march south to Logrono, which was taken in a similar tactic as was San Sebastian. Continuing throughout Spain to make small raids on Spanish fishing villages, O' Reilly was steadily promoted to Captain, then with the resignation of the Major and Lieutenant Colonel of the 185th, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. The Colonel died of dysentary shortly afterward, and O' Reilly, although mourning the passing of his long time Colonel, happily accepted his promotion. Garland, who had been reassigned to Company E before the attack of San Sebastian, made his second and last appearance as Lieutenant Colonel under O' Reilly. A month later, on January 12, 1743, O' Reilly and the 185th broke off from the main body and captured the city of Burgos. Meeting little resistance, the regiment marched on south towards Aranda de Duero, breaching the walls of the city around midnight, taking the occupants by surprise. Putting up as much resistance as possible, the Spanish guards proved to be an effective force, but were captured after several skirmishes inside the city. Moving south yet again, the 185th reunited with the main body to assault the last city in between them and victory, Guadalajara. After three weeks of seige, the 185th along with the 72nd and 21st Regiments were able to penetrate the outer defenses and attack the city from the left flank, distracting the Spanish defenses, opening several other entrances to the city. Rushing in, the Royal Marines took yet another city. After reforming outside the city, the Marines began the march to Madrid, Spain's capital. A mile ahead of the main body marched the 185th, acting as the advance guard. Along the roads, they met several cheering loyalists as they passed, as well as the not so welcoming militia. Rapidly put down, the militia were tied up in their own houses and left behind for family members to retrieve them. For a final precaution, the 185th lit the ammunition and weapons aflame outside the towns and continued their march. After four days of marching, the 185th took a position just out of sight of Madrid, and awaited the rest of the Marines. A large unit of British army soldiers had already begun the seige, and were beginning to dig into their trenches with siege artillery. Soon joining them came the main body of Marines, which circled Madrid in a surrounding motion. Day by day, the sappers slowly brought the trenches and siege guns closer and closer, under cover of artillery fire from the rear. When the first full salvo rang out through the rocky outcrops and forests nearby, the British forces let out a wild cheer. After three days of being battered by British artillery, the Spanish colours finally were hauled down from the flagstaffs. Triumphantly marching into the city, the 185th took the honour of escorting the captured Rebel leader, Phillipe V, outside of the city, beginning the long march to the previously arranged evacuation point at Gibraltar. Returning to England a war hero, O' Reilly was immediately knighted and granted a promotion to Lord Admiral in the Royal Navy. Months later, after the retirement or death of every single officer above O' Reilly, the latter was made First Sea Lord, which gave him command of the Royal Marines. Subsequently marrying the daughter of King George Augustus II himself, he went back to Ireland with his newly wedded wife and began a period of rest. After adopting a son in Falmouth, O' Reilly returned to his estate and wife to find peace and tranquility that one longs for after three years and eight months of tiresome and traumatical fighting. More to come... |-| Family= *Father: Sir Edward Connor O' Reilly (deceased) *Mother: Lady Elizabeth Wellesly O' Reilly *Brother: Sir James Phillip O' Reilly *Brother: Sir Patrick Benjamin O' Reilly *Sister: Lady Annabeth Rose O' Reilly *Wife: Princess Amelia Eleanor Augustus *Son: Declan Finnegan Francis O' Reilly *Nephew: William Joseph O' Reilly *Nephew: John Buckter O' Reilly *Niece: Nathalie Mariah O' Reilly *Father-in-Law: King George Breasly Augustus II *Brother-in-Law: Prince George Augustus III *Sister-in-Law: Princess Grace Breasly Augustus I |-| Friends= *King George Breasly Augustus II *Czar Jeremiah Nathaniel Pond Garland II *Chancellor of Warfare Matthew Marcus Anthony Faye I *Lord Secretary of Warfare Jackson Pistolet I *Second Sea Lord Nathaniel Joseph Garland I *Third Sea Lord Jarod Pillagebane I *Fourth Sea Lord Kortez I *Lord Marshall Samuel Arthur Percivil Aberforth Harrington I *Lord Governor Marc Justinian Parker *Lord Chancellor Andrew Maxmillius Phillip Norrington Mallace I *Roger Volkov I *Samantha Volkov I *Lieutenant Colonel Jack Hirsch I *Lieutenant Colonel Richard Washington I (O' Reilly's aide-de-camp) *Captain of the Fleet Connor Jenson II (O' Reilly's flag captain) |-| Titles= *First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy *First General of the Royal Marines *Lord Speaker of the British Parliament *Lord Diplomat of the British Government *Head Secretary to the British Admiralty *Director of North American Diplomatic Affairs to Great Britain *Viceroy of Scotland *Knight of His Majesty the King *Duke of Essex *Minister of Security for the Royal Family *Governor of Massachusets *Commander of the Prince of Wales *Prince of Italy *Count of France *Minister of New France for the French Government |-| Category:EITC Category: Royal Navy